Tension controlling device for rolling closures



C. TRAUT 1,937,209

rIENsION OONTROLLING DEVICES FOR ROLLING cLOsUREs Nov. 28, 1933.

Filed July 29, '1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTR. M L Maf A TTORNEYJ C. TRAUT Nov. 28, 1933.

TENSION CONTROLLING DEVICES FOR ROLLING CLOSURES Filed July 29, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7^ NLENTOR.

. y ZW A NORA-'Ew Y ment.

Patented, Nev. 2s,Y 1933 unirse smi-rss TENSION ooNraoLLING DEVICE Fort ROLLING cLosUaEs Clifford Ti'aut, Newport, Ky., assigner to The Higgin Manufacturing Company, Newport, Ky.,

a corporation of West Virginia 'Application July 29, 1932. Serial No.7625,848

l2 Claims. (Cl. 156--39)Y My invention relates to the provision `of means -wherebyithe tension Yof the spring roller of rolling closures may be adjusted after the complete installation of the closure. While my invention is applicable to rolling closures of all types, including, but without limitation, rolling lighto tight closures and the like, I shall, forpurposes of making a complete disclosure, describe it in connection with a rolling window screen, it being understoodthat this is not a limitation uponiny invention. A rolling windowiscreen, as known in the art, comprises generally a `housing containing a spring roller, which housing is installed at the top of a window opening.` The screen cloth or flexible closure member iswound upon the spring roller, and may be withdrawn from the'housing against the tension ofr the spring through a lengthwise slot in said housingThere are alsoV provided side guide members located along thev sides of the window opening, in which the edges Itis the general practice to adjust the tensionof the spring'controllingv the rolle1` prior kto the installation of the screen'. vSome sort of ratchet Vwill be set forth hereinafter, or will be apparent 85 device is provided which permits rsuch adjust- It will be understood also, that in most installations' the housing vand/or other parts are concealed by the window trim. Evenwhere this is not the case, the nature of the installation' is almost always such that the ends of the spring roller housing are not accessible after the installation thereof. Since all commercial Ainstallations of which I am aware before this time have been adjustableas to tension only at the ends of the housing, Ait has not been possible to vary the tension after'the installation of the screen or closure and while it is in place. Should the initial adjustment made prior to the installation device which I prefer to use. Y

of the screen beV incorrect, or should, for any reason, the tension come out of adjustment it has hitherto been necessary to demountthe entire casing with the disturbance of any portions Yof the window trim which vcovered or concealed it. o

yshowing themethod of engagement of the spri The adjustmentof the tension in rolling window screens has therefore involved great inconvenience, time and expense, andis a serious labor item` connected with'the installation and use of such devices. It isa primary object of'my invention to provide mechanism in connection with 'j v the spring roller `of a rolling' closure whereby the vof the closure and without disturbing that instal- Aof adjustment'devices to such housings involves ment mechanism must -be conned to an exceed- 65 vingly small space, and cannot-be either bulky or yto manufacture and install, positive in action, and

tension may'l be adjustedafter the installation u lation. 1 Y y o While not restricted thereto, my. invention, `as set forth herein, has especial utility in connec- 60 tion withrolling closureshaving spring roller housings of the hushend type. The application dilicult problems vfor the reason that the adjustcumbersome. Moreover, it must be inexpensive not liable to maladjustment or deterioration. The solution of these problems constitutes anzo other object of my invention Still anotherobject of my invention is the provision of an adjustment means as aforesaid, which does not interfere with the preliminary adjustment of the tension ofthe spring in the ordinary z5 way., Such adjustment is highly desirable for the rreason that to produce substantially the tension desired involves rotating the roller shaft a considerable number-of turns, and it would be YVboth. slow and inconvenient tov attempt to make 80 the entire adjustment by means of an adjustment device, particularly one having a gear ratio mechanism. y

These and other objects oimy invention which to one skilled in the art upon reading these spec- Aiiications, I accomplish by that certain construction Vand arrangement of 'parts of which I shall now describe the aforesaid exemplary embodiment. Y

The drawings are-nowv referred to, wherein- .Figure 1 is an elevational view of a screen installation with parts thereof in section.

, Figure 2 is an end view of Atheadjustment apparatus with parts shown in section. n A Figure 3 visa sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 of Figure 2, showing the same assembly. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a crown gear `Figure 5 isanotherend view of a spring'roller 100 Y housing embodying my invention, withV a portion of the cover member cut away.

Figure A6 isa view of part of a Vspring roller g end therein. i n il Figure 7 is aspur gear which I prefer to use. Figure Sis a pawl employed in connection with the spur gear of Figure '7.

Figure 9 shows a simple form of spring controls the pawl of Figurel 8.

which' o stances moving rectly or with an intermediate ring Briefly in the practice of my invention I provide a gear which non-rotatably engages the end of the spring roller shaft and is covered by a housing member having an extension thereon reaching below the spring roller housing. Another-gear meshing with the first is located with respect to this extension so as to be engageable vby a tool, such as a screw driver, from the inside of the window opening. I provide a pawl which coacts with said second gear to stopthe motion thereof. This pawl is so shaped as to permit motion of said gear in a direction to increase the tension, the par/l under these circumagainst aV controlling spring. The pawl is arranged positively to stop the mon tion of the gear in the reverse direction, but

means are provided whereby said pawl may be manually depressed to permit such rotation.

The problems worked out in connection with the y conguration and interaction of these several -members will be clear from the description of a speciiic embodiment which follows.

I have shown in Figure 1 a spring roller housing indicated ygenerally at 1. ltisclosed upon one end by an end enclosure member 2. This closure member fits over the end of the housing like the lid of a box, and is perforated for the reception of tongues on the housing, which tongues are bent over on the end closure member to hold it in place. The member is also perforated to receive and journal the spring roller shaft 3. The other end of the housing has two interspaced closure members indicated generally at 4 and 5, which are interspaced so that a crown gear arrangement 6 may lie between them. It Will also be noted in Figure l, that the end closuremembers 4 and 5 have extensions below the roller housing, between which extensions a vspur gear '7 is located. This gear meshes with the gear 6, and may be engaged by a screw-driver 8 so that the crown gear 6 may be turned thereby.

Portions o f the crown gear 6 hereinafter to be described, non-rotatably engage the end of the shaft 3, and form a bearing therefor with respect to the vendv closure member 4j lThe flattened end of the shaft 3 may be engaged by a handle or crank 9, whichwill pass through a perforationk in the outer closure member 5. The shaft may thus be directly rotatedfby means of Ythis handle.

.Surrounding the shaft 3 is a roller member 10 of tubular form, having bushings 11 and l2 respectively, at the ends thereof, whereby the roller is rotatively mounted upon the shaft 3. A coiled spring 13 surrounds the shaft and is enh gaged therewith at the left hand end in Figure l as at 14. At the right hand end, as at 15, this spring is engaged with the roller. The screen or closure cloth 16 is wound on the roller. It will be clear that in the operation of the screen, so long as the gear 6 holds the shaft 3 non-rotatively, the roller 10 may rotate with respect to the shaft with or against the tension of the spring 18, whereby the closure cloth may be drawn into the housing or withdrawn therefrom.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 9 inclusive, for a more particular description of the elements of this assembly, it will be seen that the inner closure member 4 is perforated as atfla (Figure 3). The gear 6 has attached thereto, either di- '7, a hanged socket-like member 18. The edges of this meinberV and/or the ring, 1'7 nt into the. perforation 4a and form in part the bearing for the right hand end of the shaft hereinabove described. The end of the shaft isi-flattened as at 3a, and

the member 18 is slotted, as clearly shown in` Figure 2, to receive the flattened end of said shaft.

I prefer to make the gear 6 in the form of a crown gear by a stamping operation. The gear thus comprises a disc-like portion 6a and a series of teeth 6b extending substantially at right angles thereto. This construction is important, as will hereinafter be shown, for the purpose of maintaining at all times a positive interengage ment of the gears 6 and 7.

Referring again to Figure 3, it will be seen that'the inner closure member 4 (which. as at 4b, may be recessed so as to extend partly within the end of the housing member 1, and thus save some space) is perforated as at 4c to receive the hub portion'a of the gear '7. This gear is shown more clearly in Figure '7. t may be cheaply made by a stamping operation, and come prises theV hub or boss '7a which projects from one side. It also has a series of rather large teeth 7b projecting from the edges thereof; The boss '7a is slotted as at '7c for the reception of the screw-driver 8. The boss portion 7a of the gear 7 is iournaled in the perforation 4c.

Theouter cover portion, indicated generallyat 5, has flanges 5a adapted to t over the end' of the screen roller housing 1, and is also perforated in the usual manner for the reception of the tonguesY 19 on the housing, which are bent i105' over to fasten the cover member in place. When in place, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, the outer cover member 5 will be interspaced from the inner cover member 4 by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the crown gear 6. 110 It also has an extension 5d dropping below the screen roller housing and cooperating with the extension 4b onthe inner closure member 4 to hold the gear 7 in place. The tongues i9, in cooperation'with the screen roller housing, will 115 hold the two end closure members in proper poe sitionin their upper portions. The lower portion of the' two members come together by reason of an offset 4e in the inner closure member, and may, if desired, be fastened together by screws y12() or bolts 20. The twomembers are likewise perfforated as at 21 for the reception of a wood screw or the like 22 (Figure 1), whereby this portion of the device may be held to the side of the Window frame.

The outer closure member 5 is perforated as at 5c so that the crank 9 may be directly engaged with the shaft portion 3a. It also may have depressed portions, indicated at 5b, for the purpose of assisting in maintaining they position of the gear 6.

The interaction of the two gears and the way in which they are maintained in continuous engagement will now be clear. As aforesaid, the teeth '7b on the gear r7 are quite large and are long 135 enough so that one of them at least, at all times engages the teeth 6b and extends within the gear 6 lying against the disc portion 6a thereof. The spring 13 engaged, as at 14, with a shaft at one end and at the other (as shown in Figure 6) having a reversely bent portion 23 hooked into an L-shaped slot 24 in the roller 10, acts to urge the shaft 3 to the right in Figure 1, and tends to maintain the relationship of the gear 6 to the end housing member 5. The teeth of the gear 7 are thus at all times caught between the end housing 5 and the disc portion 6a of the gear 6;

.and the gears, while very thin, cannot come out of interengagement. In this way I have secured ,singly-,thin space. f' Y r I next: provide a-:pawlmemben shown in'Fig- Y zure iL-tand comprising a bodyl25 .having a handle 1..

portion 25a. andantengagement tooth-25b. Ther handle portion 25a extends through a slot A26`in the Yinnerclosure ymember 4, and'the body vand .tooth, as shown,l Vlie between the extensions Vof ai. the closure members 4 and 5. The .pawl isV shown `inligure 2in a position ofsengagement with teeth jl'b'of the gear 7; Thespring 27 of Figure 9 has.

iso

reversely bent endsZla/r and 27h. f Theportion i -127a -mayibeengagedin a socket member. 28spotwelded or otherwise attached to'theinner closure" When the assemblyis asshown ing its lower end to the right inFigure 2, after i which it may be swung up as shown in dottedlines .in Figure 3, and disengaged from the'socket member 28. A new spring `may be installed by a reversal of these operations. The'pawl is shownin Figure 5 in a position in which it frees thegear This position maybe attained by pressing manually .upon the handle portion 25a, or'may be forced by a ciockwise rotation of the :gear 7, as shown in that ligure. The parts are so adjusted, however, that a clockwise rotation of the gear '7,

.as shown'in Figure 5, vis in a direction against the tension of the spring 13. Hence, prior to installation the handle 9 may' be 'directly engaged with the flattened end 3a of the roller shaft,` and asv much tension as is desirable in the opinion'of the operator may be placed uponthespringby a direct and speedy operation.' Thetension may be releasedA by depressing the pawl to the position shown in Figure 5. If a screw-driver is fnstengaged in the perforation 7c, the release often,- sion may be controlled as desired. Otherwise, when the gear is released, both gears will rotate under the influence of the spring 13 to relieve substantially the entire tension. The way in which tension may be adjusted after the installation of the screen will be clear from Figure land the foregoing explanation.

Various modications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, iszl 1, In a device for rolling closures, the combination of a spring roller and shaft, a housingl therefor, a pair of spaced closure members for one end of said housing, said closure members having extensions beyond the line of a wall of'said housing, and means for varying the tension of said spring roller located between said spaced end closure member and accessible for operation through one of said extensions.

2. In a device for rolling closures, the combination of a spring roller and shaft, a housing therefor, a pair of spaced closure members for one end of said housing, said closure members having extensions beyond the line of a wall of said housing, means for varying the tension of said spring roller located between said @spaced Y end closure member and accessible for operation through one of said extensions, said mechanism comprising a gear having an operative connection to said shaft, and a second gear meshing therewithfand having 'a portion accessible Vthroughsaid extension.v

31 In a device for rolling closures, the combination of avspring roller. and shaft, a housing therefor, a ',pair .ofspaced closure members for'fL180 one end of said housing, said closure members having'extensions beyond theline of aV wall of lsaid housing, means for varying the tension of said spring roller locatedbetween said spaced' end closure 1 membersA and `accessible l for operation-E85 Y .through `one vof 'said' extensions, said means comprising a gear having'an-operative connection to saidshaft, a Vsecond gear meshing therewith and havingk a portion accessible'throughsaidV extensionfand a resilientlymounted pawl means serv- Sig() ing as a lockagainst release of. tension. n

4. Ina device for rolling closures, `the combination'of a .spring roller and shaft, a housing' therefor, a pair of spaced closure'members for' one end of said housing, said closure membersfgi95 having extensions beyond the line of a wall of saidhousing, means or varying the tension of said spring roller located between saidspaced end closure member and accessible for operation. through one of saidA extensions, said means com- 51200 prising a'gear having an operative connection to Vsaid shaft, a second gear meshing therewith and having a portion accessible through said extension, vresiliently mounted pawl means serving as a yloci: against release 'of tension, said shaft hav- 1135 ing 'means for direct engagement by a tool for rotation `in a direction permitted by said pawl to tightenithe tension of said spring roller the outer one of said closure members vbeing out away to permit said engagement. l

5. In a device for rolling closures, the combination of a spring roller and shaft, a housing therefor, a pair of spaced closure members for one end of `said-housing, saidclosure members having extensions beyond the line of a wall of said hous- '1.15 ing,` means for varying the tension of saidlspring roller located between said spaced end closure member and accessible for operation through one ofrsaid extensions, said means` comprising a `gear having an operative connection to said l312.20

shaft, a second gear meshing therewith and having a portion accessible through said extension, resiliently mounted pawl means serving as a lock against release of tension, said shaft having means for direct engagement by a tool for rota- .1125 tion vin a direction permitted by said pawl to tighten the tension of said spring roller, said pawl being releasable to permit rotation of said shaft inV untensioning direction. The-outer one of said closure members being cut away to permit said E130 l engagement. v

6. In a rolling closure, the combination of a spring roller` and shaft, a housing therefor, andV spaced end closure members for oneA end of said housing, a gearof the crown type operatively iggg connected to said shaft, and a second gear of the spur type having teeth meshing with the teeth of said crown gear, the meshing teeth of said spur gear being conned'between a disclike portion of said crown gear and one of saidin end closure members.

'7.v In a rolling closure, the combination of a springroller vand shaft, a housing therefor, and spaced end closure members for one end of said housing, a gear of the crown type operatively if connected to said shaft, and a second gear of the spur type having teeth meshing with the teeth of said crown gear, the meshing teeth of Said spur gear being confined between aV disc-like portion of` said crown gear and one of said end closure :T50

members, at least one of said end `closure members having an extension beyond the plane of a wall of said housing, `said spur. gear being mounted to said extension and accessiblefrom beyond a side wall of said housing for manual rotation.

8. In a rolling closure, the combination of a spring roller and shaft, a housing therefor, and

spaced end closure members for one end of said housing, a gear of the crown type operatively connected to said shaft, and a second gear of the spur type having teeth meshing with the teeth of said crown gear, the meshing teeth of said spur gear being confined between a disc-like portion of said crown gear and one of said end closure members, at least one of said end closure members having an extension beyond the plane of a wall of said housing, said spur gear being mounted to said extension and accessible from beyond a side wall of said housing for manual rotation,

and a pawl mounted with respect to said extentool may be directly engaged with said shaft, and -rneans accessible from beyond therside wall of said housing to rotate Vsaid gear.

10. n a rolling closure, a spring roller shaft, a housing and a pair of spaced end closure members upon one end thereof, a crown gear mounted for rotation between said end closurev ..members, means on said end closure members,`

to maintain said gear in alignment, an operative connection between said gear and said shaft, said outer closure member having a perforation whereby a tool may be directly engaged with'said shaftpmeans accessible from beyond the side wall of said housing to rotate said gear, said means Yand "comprising a spur gear having teeth meshing with the teeth of said crown gear and confined between the disc portion of said crown gear and one of said end closure members, and means for urging said crown gear toward said end closure member.

l1. In a rolling closure, the combination of a spring roller and shaft, a housing therefor, end closure members for said housing of the flush type, a supplementary end closure member spaced from one of said end closure members slightly toward the center of said housing, said last mentioned end closure members having extensions beyond a side wall of said housing, a gear located between said last mentioned end closure'mem-- bers and having a mounting portion extending through the inner of said members, said mounting portion having an operative connection with said shaft, a second gear having teeth meshing with the teeth of said first gear and located in part at least between the extensions of said inembers, the inner member having a perforation and said second gear having a mounting portion extending through said perforation, and having means whereby it may be engaged by a tool, said" inner closure member having another perforation, `a pawl having a portion located between said extensions and engaging the teeth of said gear and another portion extending through said last mentioned perforation for manual operation, and a spring urging said pawl into locking engagement with the teeth of said gear.

l2. .In a rolling closure, the combination of a spring roller and shaft, a housing therefor, spaced closure members upon one end of said housing and having extensions beyond a side wall thereof, substantially coplanar gears located between Said end closure members, one of said gears having an operative connection with said shaft, the other of said gears being accessible for operation from beyond the side wall of said housing, and ratchet means for normally preventing the rotation of said gears in un-tensioning direction.

CLIFFORD TRAUT. 

